Going Home
by arisushionji
Summary: 7 years ago, Yuuko Nakamura left Makoto's life without a word or any kind of correspondence. 7 years later, she returns as Arisu Sakamoto with a task to look after her dying father. Can the two reconcile? And will there relationship develop into something else? (Haha, this is my first fanfic ever! So please be nice! R&R please! :D)
1. Prologue

Prologue

It started with a phone call.

It was a rainy day and school had just let up for the summer holidays. I was in bed, whatsapping my friends, deciding on what to do for the holidays. Rikka, Mei, Tetsu, Hiro, Kai and me; we had planned to trek the entire Tokyo for fun. Mei was so excited that she started writing incoherent messages, a mixture of Japanese, English and Chinese, her first language. Kai had started to bombard the group with comical photos. Rikka and Tetsu kept ranting and raving about food and cosplaying. And Hiro being Hiro, had went diving somewhere deep in the Pacific Ocean, occasionally resurfacing and commenting here and there.

I was so absorbed that I barely heard the phone rang.

Someone would answer it, I thought to myself as I rolled on my bed. Or it can just ring on until the called decided to hang.

Likewise, there was just no way in hell I was going to leave my cosy lair and answer that call.

I continued our little group chat until I heard a knock. Poking my head from under the duvet, I found Mom standing at the door looking grim with the phone still in her hands. Judging by the way she kept shifting her balance from one foot to another, I could tell that something was wrong.

No, correction. Something was indeed VERY WRONG.

Shit, did I do something wrong?

I mentally went through all the little things I did that might have angered her, but I couldn't find anything. My thoughts quickly went to my other siblings. Dad was at work; Jay was out with friends; the twins, Bree and Benji, should be having swimming lessons in the local swim club… so what could it be?

"Arisu," My mother finally spoke her voice quivering as if she had difficulty in saying whatever she was intending to say. "We need to talk."

A million thoughts flashed at the back of my mind and judging by the ominous voice of my mother, I wanted nothing but to just flop back onto bed and stay there. In the end though, I only sighed in resignation and got out of the fort I had made with my pillows and duvet. I gestured to my mother, indicating her to continue.

"It's just that…" Mom began to stutter as she took a seat at the edge of my bed. "Well…I got a call from your Aunt Kana… Midori misses you… and well their family is doing great in Iwatobi…"

"And?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Your father…"

Dad? What about him…?!

NO WAY!

"Did something bad happen to Dad?!" I lunged forward and clutched Mom's arm, eyes bulging so big they look like two saucers.

"It's not your Dad! No, what I mean it's your other Dad."

"Oh."

Oh. So this had to do with BIO Dad and not Dad.

"Your father… Hayabusa… He's dying of cancer."

Oh.

Realization finally kicked in.

My biological father was dying of cancer.

He was DYING-


	2. Chapter 1

**I just f-ing finished campaign (sob)**

**And now I have to deal with essays and project wtf?!**

**I'll try to make it longer next time :D**

* * *

She rested her chin lightly on her palm and looked out of the train's window. From her place, she could see the ocean and fields after fields of sunflower. It was late summer and school would be starting in a few days. But she wouldn't be returning school like the rest of her friends will be. She was far from her home Tokyo and heading to the little town of Iwatobi.

She closed her eyes and everything that happened in the past few weeks flashed in front of her eyes all at once.

_"Arisu, you know you don't need to do this."_

_Arisu sighed as her mother began her ramble again for hell knows how many times._

_"Mom!" She whined, absolutely annoyed. But that didn't stop her mom._

_"Kana has promised to keep an eye on Hayabusa. You don't really need to go to Iwatobi yourself to look after him you know…"_

_"MOM!" Arisu grumbled louder, pinching the bridge of her nose as she turned to face her mother. "Seriously, of all times, now?" She gestured to the bags and boxes around her. "I'm already ready to leave now!"_

_"It's just that Arisu…" Her mother stuttered as she tried to find the right word to say to her daughter. She was never really very good when it comes to words. Arisu sighed._

_"Mom, I'm sorry." She walked up to her mother and hugged her tightly. "It's just that I've already made up my mind. I'm going to Iwatobi. I know it's hard for you and you're worried about me. But I promise I'll look after myself properly. So please let me go."_

_Arisu buried her head in her mother's hair and heard a sigh._

_"Arisu. Why do you even want to go there?" Her mother muttered. "Iwatobi is very different from when we left. You'll have to make new friends, start a new school and on top of it, you still have to look after Hayabusa. I really think it's too much of a young girl like you." Her mother cradled her head and stroked her cheeks. "Tell me, Arisu. Why do you want to go back?"_

_Why do I want to go back?_

_Because I want to know…_

_I want to know why he left us; why he never call us, never write to us and never see us. Wasn't I her daughter? How could he do this to me? Even though Mom did marry someone else, I'm still her daughter right? Did he know how much it hurt?_

_And…_

_The image of a smiling boy with brown hair and emerald eyes flashed in front of her eyes; the boy who had kept her awake for so many nights even after so many years._

_Makoto…_

_It was as if her heart was stabbed and cut into two. She closed her eyes._

_It was time. It was time that everything comes to an end. It was time to move on… To be freed from the past._

_She opened her eyes and looked into her mother's eyes intently._

_"Because he's my father and it's my duty to look after him."_

_Her mother was taken aback for a few seconds and then she smiled and shook her head._

_"Looks like Alan was right." She smiled affectionately. "You really are all grown up now Arisu. It is time I let go. Here, give me a hug."_

_Arisu hugged her mother with all her might. "I'll miss you." Her voice shaking and laden with emotion._

_"Jay," Arisu said as she led her step-brother to the backyard. "Remember to water the roses and it's almost time to add the fertilizers…"_

_"For god's sake Ari," Jay groaned. "You've told me that a million times already! I'm not 5 like Bree and Benji ok? I'm 15 and I know what I have to do, I even wrote every damned detail down so relax!"_

_"Oh, okay then I guess I'll go and check my things…" Arisu shrugged and turned, ready to leave._

_"Arisu."_

_"What?" She turned and cocked her head to the side._

_"What's bugging you?" The 15 year old looked his sister in the eye; the latter chewed on her lower lip and looked away._

_"Nothing's bugging me."_

_"Oh that's rich coming from you." He scoffed. And then he hesitantly opened his mouth again trying not to anger his sister with his next words. "You finally gonna deal with your issues?" _

_But apparently Arisu decided to play dumb._

_"What issues?"_

_"You know fairly well what I mean, Sakamoto Arisu." Jay replied sarcastically. "Those issues you've been avoiding more than half of your life. Iwatobi, your bio Dad and… that green-eyed boy from that picture on your dresser? What's his name again? Ta-"_

_"You needn't say it out loud you know," Alice stood up with her back to his brother, her voice quivering a little showing the emotional uproar within her._

_"Yeah, I know." She said shielding her eyes with her hands as she looked up into the sky. _

_"I know."_

_"Ari, Ari!" _

_Two strawberry blonde heads bobbed towards her, two sweet smiles plastered on their faces. Arisu could tell that the twins were holding back their tears, trying hard not to cry. It broke her heart to see her two angels like that; she would do anything for them just to wipe away that look they were having now. And this time SHE was the culprit._

_"Hey Bree, Benji." She whispered softly as the two rushed to her and hugged her tightly._

_"You'll come back home right, Ari?" Bree asked._

_"Of course I will." She assured. "I would never leave my two angels, right?"_

_"Promise?" Benji held up his pinky finger._

_Arisu smiled in spite of all these. She held up both her pinky fingers and linked each one with the twins' one._

_"I promise."_

_"You can bring Nene and Koko if you like, Ari."_

_Her step-dad held up the two cats, one in each arm and handed them to her._

_"Thanks, Dad." Arisu tried her very best to keep up her smile. "I'll look after them."_

_"Hey, whatever makes my baby girl happy." Her Dad smiled and held her in an embrace. "Call me if you have any problem."_

_"I will, Dad."_

"Tsk."

She muttered to herself and then chuckled sarcastically to herself.

Oh God, what had she gotten herself into?

But it was too late to back out from it now.

Her father was sick and probably dying which was why she had volunteered to go to Iwatobi in the first place. To look after her dying father. The man was suffering from cancer, leukemia she supposed. She didn't really care. He was dying and that was the point.

And anyways, to be precise, this man was only his biological father. Her real father was still in Tokyo looking after her mother and her 3 siblings.

So what the hell was she doing here?

Maybe it wasn't really that late, all she needed to do was to board the next train back to Tokyo and that would be it. She wouldn't have to…

"The next station is Iwatobi, passengers please alight on the right."

The broadcast interrupted her train of thought and brought her back to the present.

She was HERE.

Guess it WAS really too late to leave.

And since when had she became a quitter?

She sighed in defeat and opened her handbag. Two pairs of amber eyes met her hazel ones.

"Hey Nene, Koko." She smiled affectionately at her two cats. "We're almost there. Thanks for coming all the way with me."

Her cats gave her a mewl in reply and she had to quickly close her bag in case someone heard them and decides to prosecute her. She didn't suppose that it's legal to travel on train with pets.

As the train came to a stop, the teen got up quickly slinging her bag to her shoulder and grabbed her suitcase. Then she alighted the train and took in her surroundings. It really was almost the same as she had left it 10 years ago.

Well it might have become a bit modernized, but when you're from Tokyo, you hardly notice these kinds of changes. She thought to herself.

She took a deep breath and was about to move from her spot when she heard someone bellowing her name.

"A-r-i-s-u~~~~~"

It was followed by an ambush with someone wrapping her arms around her neck and literally knocking her off the ground.

In spite of this, she wrapped her arms around her ambusher, a girl the age of her, with the same strawberry blonde hair but violet orbs.

"Midori!" She giggled vigorously. "You came!"

"Of course I would you idiot!" Midori snorted and laughed. "I wouldn't leave my little cousin to fend for herself, would I?"

Arisu giggled again and poked Midori's cheek with her finger. "Well then my dear big cousin, make yourself useful and help me with my suitcase!"

Midori rolled her eyes in between laughter and saluted.

"Yes ma'am. Saito Midori at your service."

The two girls linked arms and walked out of the station.

Suddenly Midori stopped and then turned to Arisu, looking at her with a solemn eye. Arisu returned her stare with a questioning look.

"Welcome home Arisu."

Midori spoke in English.

Arisu's eyes bulged in surprise before turning away.

"Yeah."

Somehow, she didn't feel as happy she ought to be.


	3. Chapter 2

**I finally finished another chapter! (sob) I'm so touched! (Now go finish your f-ing essays!)**

**But I think I sort of screwed this chapter up. ;( Arisu-chan is sort of paranoid... I never meant to make her look like that...**

**Oh well, guess I'll have to try harder on the next one to explain why she felt this way...**

**And hurray! Makoto's finally here! (clap hands)**

* * *

Arisu looked at the washed out boards of the front porch, a finger placed gingerly on the doorbell and a lump in her throat.

Oh God, she was HERE.

Iwatobi.

Her dad.

Home.

Somehow, she just didn't have the courage to press the doorbell. She wanted to turn and run, catch the next train to Tokyo and stay in her haven where she knew she would be safe. But she couldn't, could she?

Earlier she had told Midori, who was tagging along, to go home first because 'that would be unnecessary, I know the way, you don't need to tag along, seriously'; but now she deeply regretted it. At least if Midori was here, she could comfort her, do all the talking and back her up. Instead, she was left to fend for herself, defenceless and that made her felt weak. She hated feeling weak; it made her feel like a 5-year-old all over again. And she was already 17 for God's sake.

Come on girl, Arisu thought to herself, stop whining you bitch! You made this decision to come here, you take the responsibility. So just PRESS-THE-FUCKING-DOORBELL-IT-WON'T-BITE-

Riiinnnnnnnnnnggggg~

Arisu paled.

Fuck.

In her annoyance with herself, she had pressed on the doorbell, hard. As the ringing sound echoed in the still summer air, Arisu took a step backward, bracing for whatever that was to come. She wasn't ready, nuh-uh, hell she would never be ready to face her birth father. Never ever ever ever! Her legs felt like jelly and for one split second, Arisu considered the option of running away. Maybe it didn't really sound so bad after all…

Just then Arisu heard the sound of footsteps from inside the house and as she tensed, the front door swung open with a creak. A pale man who looked as if he was in his late-thirties stood in the entrance. He was tall but frail looking and had jet black hair that fell to his hazel eyes; he wore a plain white t-shirt which was splattered with paint and a pair of baggy trousers with similar results. But more importantly, he had a shocked look plastered on his face.

Right, so he wasn't expecting her…

Somehow that thought made her felt as if her heart was stabbed.

"Yuuko…?"

She nodded her head cautiously.

"Yuuko…" He, her father, Hayabusa, took a step forward with his arms and outstretched… and she took another step backward. Her father froze and blinked for a few times before retracting his arms and scratched his head. "Oh, um… Hi. It's been awhile."

He may have hid it well but she could still see the disappoinment in his eyes. And then it hit her. He was planning to hug her and she had backed away from it. No wonder he looked disappointed! Way to go girl, Arisu thought dryly to herself as she mentally facepalmed.

I'm already screwing it up, aren't I?!

"Yeah… um… It has really been awhile since I last saw you…" Arisu answered. She was never really a speaker and so was her father. She racked her brain for something to say to end the awkward silence, but couldn't think of any.

"Yuuko…why don't you come in first?" In the end it was her father who broke the silence. "Don't stand in the porch. Here, let me help you with your suitcase."

"Oh, nononono!" Arisu quickly held her suitcase tightly. "It's alright, I can carry it. You're sick, don't strain yourself."

"I'm not really that sick, you know." She heard him close the front door behind her. "You can put your things in your room. Or do you need me to show you the way?"

"No, it's ok. I…I know."

"Oh and your boxes are already in your room, call me if you have any problem." He smiled at her.

"Thanks…D-d-d-a…" Arisu winced, trying very hard to pronounce the word "Dad" like she used to. Her mouth formed the correct shape for the words to be voiced, but no words came out.

"I know, Yuuko." He gave her a sad smile which broke her heart. "I know everything, Yuuko. No, I mean, Arisu." Her name suddenly sound so wrong to her ears. "Just call me Hayabusa."

"Thank you… Hayabusa." She tried her very best to smile but her voice quivered. She turned at once as the tears were threatening to fall from her orbs, grabbed her suitcase and dashed up the stairs. It wasn't until she was safely locked in her rooms did she permit herself to relax. The tears fell down her cheeks at once as if it was a faucet turned on and she sat on the floor in a heap.

Damn! Why was she crying?! Because the old man was dying? Because she pitied him? If so, why did she have this feeling of betraying him?

No. Sakamoto Arisu. You've got to pull yourself together.

She took a deep breath and wiped her now wet face.

No more crying from now on. You're not a 5-year-old anymore, Sakamoto Arisu.

After calming down, she shifted her mind away from her father. Instead, she looked around her room.

It was still the same as she had left it 7 years ago.

The posters of her favourite anime was still there stuck on the wall, the little white lamp Hayabusa had bought for her from the antique store was still there, even her plushies and dolls were still there. The floor was clean and the sheets just changed, someone must have cleaned up her room before she came.

I wonder if he did all these for me.

Her cat ornaments reminded her of Nene and Koko who were still in her bag. She quickly dropped to her knees as she opened her bag, out sprung Nene and Koko. She smiled, the very first she gave since arriving.

It was then that something caught her eye.

A photo of her and a boy propped in a frame on her desk.

The boy had hair that resembled chocolate and eyes that were the colour of the finest emeralds. He had the sweetest smile she had ever seen and his personality matched his smile. He was the sweetest boy she had ever come across in life.

Makoto.

She smiled sadly at the photo.

He was doing very well in school, this she knew from Midori. In fact, she had made Midori help her with stalk- no, sleuthing Makoto. Makoto and Midori were in the same school, heck, even in the same class, so it wasn't really that hard. From what she gathered, Makoto still hangs out with his swimming buddies from elementary school; Nanase Haruka and Hazuki Nagisa. She had known Haruka through Makoto when they were still toddlers and Nagisa from the swim club.

I bet he's doing great. Probably so popular that every girl in school has succumbed to his cuteness and sweetness.

He was better off without me from the start…

A small voice popped up from within.

Arisu cringed at the thought and buried her head into one of her cats.

God, she was so messed up… She… she hated herself.

* * *

_"What are you doing again?!"_

"Hey, Hayabusa."

Arisu said as she walked into the living room where Hayabusa was currently lounging in. He was seated on the sofa and being the artist he was, he was working hard on his sketch book.

_"Don't touch my things, Yuuko!"_

"I want to go for a walk if you don't mind."

Hayabusa perked up from his seat and looked out of the window, frowning. "Well I suppose you can. Just don't get lost. Dinner's at 7."

_"So now you'd rather lock yourself in that room of yours than eat dinner with your daughter, huh?"_

"No, I won't."

She stopped in her tracks and turned.

_"Throw them out. I said-"_

"I brought two cats with me. I hope you won't mind? I swear they won't be a trouble to you, they're really good."

_"THROW-THEM-OUT!"_

"No problem. That is as long as you feed them and clean them and don't let them come into my workplace."

"Right, got it."

_"GET OUT!"_

With that, Arisu walked out of the living room, through the hallway and out of the front porch. As soon as she was out of the range of her house, she sprinted as if she had never done so before. All her previous façade was gone and she was once again agitated and fidgety.

She thought of the things she saw in the house. Every single god-damn-it item was the same as she had left it, the ornaments, the lights, the frames, the books… The only slight difference was that there were more artworks now on display than before, 7 years ago. The familiarity made all those memories came back. She didn't want to remember! God dammit! She was here to forget, to get over everything! Not become all upset again! She had dreaded coming back but she never thought the effects could be so… so overwhelming…

She couldn't breathe, she felt like she was drowning in the ocean. It was as if someone was strangling her, forcing all the air in her out. She was like a fish out of the water, suffocating in an alienate environment.

Arisu covered her ears as she fell to the cold hard ground. All the memories coming back to her at once.

Please… make it stop… make it all stop….!

Somebody…

Anybody…

_Makoto_-

"Onee-chan what are you doing crouching here?"

Arisu looked up to two pairs of eyes, one lake one brown.

A pair of twins?

"Oh. It's nothing."Arisu stuttered. "I… my ears were painful so I crouched to rest for a bit."

"Oh." The boy said. "Onee-chan, you're not from around are you?"

"What? How'd you? I never said anything…"

"Because you look pretty and we would've recognize you if you're from around." The girl giggled.

"Oh." Arisu replied stupidly. "Oh."

"My name is Ren and this Ran. What's your name, onee-chan?" The boy asked cutely.

Somehow the twin's cuteness must have infected her for she forgot all of her previous thoughts for the time being. She patted Ren on the head and smiled affectionately, they remind her of her twins, Bree and Benji. Oh, how she missed them.

"My name's Arisu. Sakamoto Arisu."

"Ren! Ran!" Just then, a voice bellowed from afar. "Where are you guys?"

"Oh, it's onii-chan."Ran giggled again.

"You guys better run along back to your onii-chan."Arisu laughed. "Or else someone's going to be punished!"

"Then we'll see you around onee-chan!" The twins chorused before running towards the source of the sound.

Arisu smile despite herself. Kids, she shook her head. Ah, how she wished she was still a kid sometimes. Them being carefree and everything.

She shook her head again, her mood lightened a bit by the encounter as she started to head back to the place she had ran away from previously. Maybe she had just overreacted, paranoid, everything's gonna be fine.

It had to, right?

* * *

"Onii-chan, onii-chan!" Ren and Ran ran to him and each hugged a leg of his.

Makoto laughed. He loved the two sincerely from the bottom of his heart, they could be so childish and yet so sweet at times like this.

"Now where were you guys just now?" He said in a false accusation tone.

"We met a very pretty onee-chan!" Ran whooped. "Are you sure that's not your girlfriend, onii-chan?"

Makoto chuckled. Kid nowadays…

"Hm… I don't know. Try describing her so I might guess."

"Well…"Ran scrunched up her brows and thought hard. "Onee-chan said her name is Arisu. Sakamoto Arisu. She has really long hair, a bit curly towards the end and her bangs sort of covers part of her eyes. It's a bit reddish… orange? And she has these really big pretty eyes that are brownish golden colour. She was very thin too."

"But she looked sad too." Ren added softly.

"Oh?" Makoto raised an eye brow. "Sad you say?"

"She looked as if she was about to cry."

Ren's words immediately made him think of someone, a friend of his; though he often wondered if they were truly friends, why would she leave without a word. She had long hair, a bit curly towards the end and bangs that would always get into her eyes. However, her hair colour was not reddish or orange, 'it's called strawberry blonde' she used to tell him. Her eyes were of a beautiful hazel colour, brownish with golden and green flecks.

And she always looked so sad.

Yuuko.

Nakamura Yuuko-

"Onii-chan?!"

He felt a poke on his left leg, he looked down to see Ran pouting at him. "Can we go home now?" Ran said still pouting. "I'm hungry."

Makoto immediately snapped out from his thoughts. He held his siblings, one in each hand and chuckled.

"Alright, let's go home then!"

As he escorted the twins home, he couldn't help but think of that girl again.

How he wished that girl was Yuuko.


	4. Chapter 3

**Please review! Pretty pretty please! Constructive criticism is welcomed! :D**

**Tell me what you think so that I can do better the next time!**

**Thank you!**

* * *

"Makoto?" Mrs Tachibana said as she poked her head out of the kitchen just in time to see her son opening the front porch door. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the bookstore Mom." Makoto replied.

"Okay, don't be late for lunch then." His mother merely nodded and returned to her work in the kitchen.

Makoto smiled as he left his home. The late summer sun was warm against his slightly tanned skin but the cool sea breeze cancelled out any hot feelings he may have felt. The weather was just fine, not too cold, and not too hot. It felt just right for a walk. School was going to start again in less than a week; he would have to start preparing for it, finishing any homework he may have found unfinished in the last minute. But for the time being, he was going off to the local bookstore, a store opened by his fellow classmate; or rather her parents. She had told him earlier through messaging that the book he had wanted to buy was in stock and she could save him a copy so he needn't worry, he could come at any time he felt convenient.

He had been busy with swimming for the past several weeks of holiday, practising every day from morning to night. After all it was summer and there just wasn't any reason to say no. Besides, Haru was there, at the school's swimming pool, every day, so was Nagisa and Rei. Even Rin joined them sometimes. Being able to hang out with his friends, he really couldn't turn it down.

So in the end, he had to go pick up his book today.

* * *

"Arisu! How do you do question 15?" Midori whined as she tugged at Arisu's shirt hem. "Why does x become 4 when y is 2?"

Arisu couldn't help but heave a sigh. Currently she was at Midori's, coaching Midori to finish her summer holiday homework. For the past few days since she arrived Iwatobi, her time was split between home and Midori's. Every morning, she would wake up to make breakfast for Hayabusa and herself. Afterwards, Hayabusa would lock himself in his studio while she would go to Midori's to chill and hang out and more importantly, help her finish her summer homework. Then around noon, she would go back to prepare lunch for Hayabusa. Afterwards, she would stay home to read literature or maybe draw a bit; most of the time though, she would practise the piano, violin or cello.

Arisu gave another sigh as she tried her best to explain the question to Midori.

Somehow, she and Hayabusa just didn't have that much communication as she had hoped. The only times they were together were during meals and those time were brief. Maybe it was because of his sickness, he would barely touch his food and then as swift as he had appeared, he would go back to his room and lock himself in, leaving her by herself to finish her food and clean up. She had no one to talk to at home, and even if she went out, she had nowhere to go.

It made her feel like she didn't belong.

She was a stranger.

It felt awful.

Arisu? Arisu?! Arisu! Ari-

"What?!" Arisu jumped in her seat as she felt someone hit her hard on the shoulder. She quickly turned to her attacker and saw Midori frowning at her.

"What is wrong with you, Ari?" Midori pouted in annoyance. "Quit daydreaming and help me with my homework! At this rate I'll never finish it before summer hols ends!"

Arisu sighed again. Right, she still had Midori to talk to and go to… She wished she hadn't.

She was about to reach out to Midori's homework book when Midori suddenly caught her hand and looked into her eyes intently.

"What?" Arisu muttered her voice dripped with sarcasm. "I thought someone needed help with their homework."

"What were you thinking?" Midori asked. "You were thinking about Hayabusa, weren't you?"

"So what if I was?" She retorted. She hated how Midori would always act as if she knew everything. Well she didn't! Okay maybe a bit. But it's only a bit, a teeny weeny bit. She… she just didn't like people seeing her weak side.

"Do you know what his current condition is?" Midori continued to ask.

Arisu bit her lips.

Of course she knew. Hayabusa would never in a million years tell her what his condition was, so she had no choice but to go to the hospital on her own to ask. It had taken quite a long time and a lot of talking and confirming to get the information she had wanted. But she did and what she got didn't exactly make her feel better.

Hayabusa was suffering from leukaemia. It wasn't a rare type or anything; it was just that Hayabusa was refusing treatment. Why? The doctors didn't know. They only know that if he didn't accept treatment soon, he was going to die.

"Arisu." Midori said in a serious tone.

Arisu groaned and buried her head into her arms.

"Midori! Not now! I'd really appreciate it if you stop."

"But-"

"Midori?" Someone poked her head into the room they were sitting in. It was Midori's mom, her aunt Kana. "I'm going out to run an errand; will you look after the store for me please?"

Midori sighed in resignation.

"Fine."

"Oh and Arisu?" Aunt Kana smiled at her. "Can you help me put up some new books, please?"

"Okay."

Aunt Kana and Uncle Sano owned a bookstore; literally, a real bookstore. She could never really understand why they needed to open one in the first place, after all they were rich. Well, rich in the sense that they were self-sufficient, the two earned quite a lot from renting stores to others. So why the need to open a bookstore? She really couldn't understand.

Midori's house was like one of those home/store design, she didn't know what the exact term was, the front part of the house was the store and connected by a door at the cashiers, it led to the living room, dining room, kitchen, and the stairs to the upper part of the house.

Currently, Arisu was putting up books at one of the shelves and Midori was sitting at the cashiers, constantly giving her the I'm-not-done-with-you-yet stares. Arisu could only sigh and continue her work.

Well good luck in making me tell you that, Midori. Not. Gonna. HAPPEN!

Just then the door opened, and a customer came in. Arisu smiled and turned to greet him.

"Welcome…" She stopped in the middle of her sentence and felt herself paled.

There stood in front of her was a boy of her age, his eyes shone like the most beautiful emerald. She had seen him in the photos Midori had sent to her in the years she had left Iwatobi, hell she would have recognized that face no matter where she went.

* * *

Makoto's eyes widen in surprise as he stepped inside the store. A girl with strawberry blonde hair was gaping at him with her hazel eyes was as big as saucers. She wore a navy blue sundress which accentuated her porcelain skin and sandals that matched her sundress.

At that moment, it was as if the world stood still for the two of them. Not a word passed between them but somehow a connection was made.

His heart skipped a beat.

"Yuuk-chan?" Makoto said hopefully. Could it be her? After all those years, could it really be her? Had she finally come back? "Yuuk-chan? Yuuko!"

However the girl only took a step backward, her eyes full of fear and shock. Then she turned on her heels and quickly stumbled towards the door leading to the inside.

"Wait!" Makoto lunged forward and caught the girl's hand, effectively stopping her from her dash. The girl could only stop and stand there with her back to him so that he couldn't see her face.

"Yuuko? Is that you?" He asked again, still hopeful and his heart thumping in his rib cage loudly.

However, his hope was immediately shattered.

"My name is Arisu. Sakamoto Arisu, Tachibana-san." She replied icily. With that, she suddenly flung her hand so hard that Makoto lost his grip on her. Now that she was without constraints, Arisu ran through the door at once and was out of sight.

Makoto frowned.

How could she not be Yuuko? She had called him Tachibana-san so surely she is Yuuko. But then why did she call herself Arisu? And why did she call him Tachibana-san instead of Mako-chan like she used to? Could it be because…

At the same time he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

"Ah Makoto-kun." He was momentarily pulled back to the present by a voice. He looked up to see his classmate, Saito Midori.

"I see you've met my cousin."

* * *

She didn't know how long she had been siting there hugging her knees and burying her face in her knees like that. The only thing that kept repeating in her mind was Makoto. She hadn't expected to meet him there and she was sure she had made a mess for herself again. She shouldn't feel that way; she was here to forget about her past right? She shouldn't care about him anymore.

But she couldn't stop her trembles.

He must hate her so much…

"Arisu?" She heard Midori calling her from afar. Shortly, she heard footsteps and someone sitting down beside her. Midori softly patted her head and hugged her, letting her rest her head on the crook of her neck.

"It's okay, Arisu." Midori cooed, patting her soothingly on the back. "He's gone now."

She could only nod.

* * *

Makoto trudged home with a heavy heart.

Yuuko…

What had happened to her? She had looked so fidgety and had avoided eye contact with him. Why? He remembered what Midori had said.

_"She is Yuuko, well, as in the same person. But literally she's not Yuuko anymore because she's Arisu now."_

_"She changed her name when her mother married, so she's Sakamoto Arisu now and not Nakamura Yuuko."_

There were so many things he wanted to ask, so many so many so many. Why did she leave? Why didn't she contact him? Why did she come back? So many whys, and no one there to answer his questions.

Midori had said, _"There are things you should ask in person and not through someone else"._

_"Give her some time, in time she'll learn to overcome whatever she's facing and come clean to you, I'm sure."_

Makoto sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Things she needed to overcome, well he might know a few…

_Makoto ran up the stairs and saw a little girl sitting in the steps, hunched in a corner hugging her bruise scattered legs and sniffing._

_"Yuuk-chan!" He cried out and crouched next to her. "What happened?"_

_This only made the situation worst, Yuuko instantly burst into tears. Makoto panickly patted Yuuko on the back and hugged her._

_"It's okay. Just tell me. Did the bullies get you again?"_

_Yuuko nodded as a respond and continued to cry._

_"Mommy…and Papa…" She sniffed in between sobs. "Got into a fight again because… Papa wouldn't come down for dinner… And Papa… Papa wouldn't let me keep the cat… He also… also yelled at me… for touching his things…"_

Makoto grimaced as his flashback came to end. Before she left, Yuuko was under constant attacks of bullies, her parents fought all the time and her father yelled at her for any small things she may have done. Back then, she always had a bruise here or there and she cried a lot.

It made him felt bad then, and even now. If only he could have helped her, maybe then she wouldn't have to go through so many things.

But now that she's back, I can make it up to her.

Makoto smiled at the thought.

And she had grown so much over the years. She was thin and had grown a lot taller though not as tall as him. Her hair was still long and curly though. And her body with that porcelain like skin and -

Makoto blushed fiercely.

What was he thinking?! Stop it Makoto!


End file.
